I have to remove my pitman arm from the centerlink so I can get my steering box out to fix a leak. I was home from college on a job interview for about an hour the other day and was trying my damnedest to get it off with a pickle fork and hammer but it wouldn't budge. I think there is a special puller for removing the pitman arm from the steering box, but I'm trying to get the other end off of the center link for now.
My father has been nice enough to spray it down with WD-40 the last two days and will do so again tomorrow so maybe that will help loosen it up a tad for me.
Does anyone else have a tip for removing it? Will it take some of the pressure off if I jack up the front of the vehicle??

 

I'm going to assume you're replacing it....

Remove the nut, and just beat the threaded end out with a BFH.

There's no pressure on it.

 

I used a big hammer for my brother's Jeep Cherokee (approx. 20 times: tump, tump, tump,tump,..CLANK!, auch! = use good gloves).

Don't turn too much (at the end) the steering wheel whit disconnected pitman arm, You can cut the horn/abs coil connector.


Regards,

 

Paul, I had the same problem I bought a used PS box but instead of doing all that i went and bough a bottle of PS sealer. Its half-A$$ i know but it saves alot of time plus it fixed my leak.

Just though i would give my .02.

 

This is on my truck, not my IROC. How can you hit it with a hammer on the end that goes into the center link? The steering box would have to be removed so it could travel up when you hit the threads on the pitman arm.

I guess I'll just have to keep at it with the pickle fork because there's not even room to get a hammer at it directly.

Thanks guys.

 

I see...

I wouldn't have bothered, if I had known it was some other vehicle. Details do matter sometimes.

 

I'd suggest a little heat to "grow" the openeing on the center (drag) link, but if you're not replacing the drag link, too much heat may not be a good idea since you can anneal the link at a critical stress point.

 

You probably just need a pitman arm puller. A pickle fork usually won't cut it. My guess is that you can probably rent one.

 

I know I'll need a puller for the pitman arm but I need to get the other end out first.

I'm gonna be home tomorrow to do it.....hopefully after being sprayed with WD-40 all week and maybe with a mini-sledge it will come off easier. I'm planning on replacing the pitman and probably idler arm while I have it apart anyway so even if I destroy it I'll be ok so long as I don't trash the centerlink.